Kampala, Uganda: Scientists from Columbia University, the University of Connecticut, and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory have achieved a remarkable breakthrough in materials science.
According to SciTechDaily, a science and technology news website, the researchers have developed an extraordinarily lightweight substance that’s four times stronger than steel by applying a thin layer of silica glass to DNA.
This groundbreaking discovery, driven by the manipulation of glass at the nanoscale and harnessing DNA’s unique properties, promises significant potential in both engineering and defense applications.
ResearchFinds News understands that the key to this achievement lies in the combination of incredible strength with low density. In fact, when put to the test, the glass-coated DNA lattice proved to be four times stronger than steel while being five times less dense.
To understand the significance of this achievement, it’s crucial to appreciate the challenges of working with materials at the nanoscale. Small defects or contaminants can severely compromise material integrity, particularly on a larger scale. Glass, in particular, is known for its fragility due to the development of cracks.
However, scientists at these institutions have successfully managed to create a pure form of glass and apply it as a coating to specialized DNA structures. The result is material that defies conventional expectations.
The process behind this achievement builds upon the unique properties of DNA. DNA is a polymer, akin to materials like plastic and rubber, known for their toughness and elasticity.
Researchers, led by Oleg Gang, a materials scientist at the Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN) and a professor at Columbia University, have been exploring DNA’s potential for material synthesis for some time, resulting in a range of groundbreaking discoveries across various fields, from drug delivery to electronics.
DNA molecules have the unique ability to form specific shapes known as “origami,” akin to the Japanese art of paper folding. These DNA origami structures serve as nanoscale building blocks that can self-assemble due to addressable DNA bonds.
These self-assembled structures can then combine to form larger lattices with repeating patterns, providing the foundation for 3D-ordered nanomaterials.
In this particular experiment, the researchers sought to leverage DNA’s unique assembly properties to create silica frameworks. The challenge was to ensure the resulting material retained its strength while maintaining an ultra-lightweight nature.
The solution was to coat the DNA structures with an incredibly thin layer of silica glass, only a few atoms thick, preserving the scaffold’s architecture while creating an ultra-light material. At this scale, glass is resistant to flaws or defects, ensuring its impressive strength.
To assess the strength of this groundbreaking material, the researchers employed a specialized technique called nanoindentation, capable of measuring resistive forces on a minuscule scale.
With the aid of an electron microscope and nanoindentation, they could simultaneously measure mechanical behavior and observe the compression process. Remarkably, the glass-coated DNA lattice was proven to be four times stronger than steel, a feat previously unimaginable.
While further research and scaling are necessary, this achievement opens up exciting possibilities in materials science. The team plans to explore other materials, such as carbide ceramics, which are even stronger than glass. This research may lead to the development of even stronger lightweight materials in the future, revolutionizing various industries.
The collaboration between academia and national labs, as exemplified in this study, underscores the importance of collective scientific endeavors in advancing our understanding and application of cutting-edge technologies.
Reference: “High-strength, lightweight nano-architected silica” by Aaron Michelson, Tyler J. Flanagan, Seok-Woo Lee, and Oleg Gang, 27 June 2023, Cell Reports Physical Science. DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrp.2023.101475
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